


Heaven and Hell - Rebirth

by DJ_Ethan



Category: Devil May Cry, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Genre: Crossover, F/M, Fanfiction of Fanfiction, Gen, Genderbending, Genderbent Twilight Sparkle, Inspired by/spin-off fanfiction of The Unexpected Love Life of Dusk Shine, Mainline DMC games took place in MLP universe in this AU, Post-Devil May Cry 5, Prepare for edge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:02:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28902330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DJ_Ethan/pseuds/DJ_Ethan
Summary: Long ago, demons existed in world. Held off by a rebellious Dark Knight, they were forced back into the underworld. Though that demon succumbed to time, his bloodline persisted in Equestria, and with it, the Legend of the Devil Hunter Dante and the Black Angel Vergil was birthed, overtaking their father's power and fame. In time, they too were lost to the annals of history, leaving behind a safe world for all mortals.Until now. The Demon King has risen again, taking one of Equestria's modern heroes and critically wounding him. Now laying weak, Dusk Shine makes a deal with a mysterious figure from his boyhood named V, claiming he too seeks vengeance against the Demon King. With their dark bargain struck, Dusk Shine begins his search, V seeking to slay a powerful demon and to claim his power. With danger looming over and the hoards of hell threatening to return and his friends worryingly trying to stay by his side through it all, Dusk Shine takes his first steps into a world of demons, bloodshed, and chaos, unaware that his journey will lead to the return of legend... and the birth of a new one.
Relationships: Mane six & Twilight Sparkle (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic), Princess Luna/Twilight Sparkle (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)





	1. Prologue - Broken

**Author's Note:**

> So I've had scratch ideas for this kind of crossover for years now, long before I actually got the guts to actually start writing fanfiction myself. Of course, this was long before Devil May Cry 5... in fact, this was around DmC Devil May Cry. At the time, it definitely was an influence on that story, but that's getting off topic. But even back then, one thing that always stuck in my mind regarding that kind of crossover was a little fic on FiMFiction called "The Unexpected Love Life of Dusk Shine." I heavily suggest reading that, or at least giving it a skim, because this story acts as a continuation of that story, seeing as unfortunately it was abandoned... and on quite a cliffhanger at that, which is mentioned as early as this story's prologue.  
> Here's a link to it right here: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/41270/The-Unexpected-Love-Life-of-Dusk-Shine  
> That said, I kinda fell out of the show during a between-seasons lull as early as season 2 unfortunately, but the fanfiction (and adult) side of things definitely remained a constant thing in my attention, at least enough to know a few basic things that went on while I wasn't watching. As a part of that, the whole idea back then kinda fell to the back of my mind, out of focus. Thankfully, Devil May Cry 5 brought that spark back into my mind with a few new changes to the status quo by the end, and Vergil's DLC admittedly was what also "motivated" me to get around to this new idea, mostly involving V, seeing as I think he fits Dusk Shine's more bookish state more than simply changing him into a Devil May Cry combofiend like my original idea back then. I'll probably talk more about ideas past in author's notes after the chapters, but for now, I do hope that you enjoy this for what it's worth. It's been something in my head for a long time, and I'm happy to finally get something out on here that isn't just a smutty fic. That said, this isn't going to stray away from the topic of sex and characters' sexual history. It's a bit of a carry over from the inspiration, after all, but I promise that this won't go off the rails to just turn into a smutty story. (If I ever feel like letting loose with that I can just make that a side story in the same universe as this fic anyway.)  
> Anyway, I feel like I've rambled on enough. Let's welcome chaos.

Worry, annoyance, frustration. Those were three things Dusk Shine felt were the perfect summation of his current troubles. Grievances upon grievances would stack up on each other, but he knew this was a tipping point to affect his circle of friends. He wish he could simply be free of it all.

But a child doesn’t simply cease cease to exist from the womb, even if the conception was a dream… quite literally, seeing how it happened.

Part of him wanted to hate Luna for it. To run away, to never have to deal with it. But the worst part was that he didn’t. He didn’t _truly_ hate her. Truth be told, she was quite beautiful all things considered. He wasn’t sure if he should be flattered that _she_ was his first kiss, someone who seemed to be attached and interested in a nerd like him. Was it because he was one of the ones who saved her from her vengeful form that had shaped her mark on history? He was the only male among them at that, was that why she singled him out? Regardless, he knew one thing: he wasn’t ready to be a father.

He sighed. An ache in his head was starting to build up. “Spike,” he called to his roommate, a little baby dragon small enough to comfortably ride on his back, yet smart enough to serve as a sort of secretary. He was the one who broke the news, being the one who received the letter. He was about the only other one who knew at this moment, aside from the princesses themselves. “I’m going for a walk, I need a break. I’ll be back soon.” How soon? Who knew. All he knew is that he was more than hoping for some personal space at the moment.

Dusk Shine walked alongside the forest on the edge of town quite half-heartedly. He was thankful, it seemed for once he wouldn’t be dragged into another wild and difficult experience on account of his friends. Considering the relationships he had between all of them ranged from “softly but politely rejected” to “unwilling sexual target,” he thought he probably should refrain from sharing the news until he needed to and knew how to talk about it without ruining every fragile friendship he’s ever had.

A surge of pain in his head brought him back down to reality, and a dull glow started to shine from his horn. _Gah!_ _Why the hell is my horn hurting like this?_ Rising back up to his hooves, Dusk Shine then noticed his surroundings were not as he remembered it during his stroll. It wasn’t on the edge of town around him.

He was in the forest.

He swore again to himself as he wondered how he came here when he meant to simply be alone, seeing as solitude wasn’t worth losing your life or sense of location to the wilds. He was lucky he managed to remember the location he was relative to the town, but he still cursed himself for coming so far into the wilds in the first place. Making his way back to Ponyville, Dusk stood on edge with his horn ready to fire off a defensive spell whenever. He heard something slimy slithering across the floor. He turned around firing at where he heard the sound, surprised yet relieved to see nothing. Carrying on, he heard it once again. Once again, he didn’t find anything hit by his spell. It was like this for most of his journey, only towards the end did he catch what he was hearing.

The creature tailing him had revealed itself, a hideous, almost slime-like mass that he honestly hoped were just something molten red or something. However, it was hard to ignore its three bulging eyeballs, all connected through a single stem.

"You looking for something, buddy?"

“ _Yes..._ ” the creature said. “ _You._ ”

“Me? Well, that sounds flattering and all, but I think you've got the wrong guy. I'm just getting out of here.”

“ _No you're not... and I have you right where I want you.”_

Dusk Shine looked around. Red seals materialized all around him, seeming to box him in with the creature approaching him. He teleported to the other side of the seal that was closest towards town, exhaling that he had seemingly dodged danger. Of course, it didn’t last. The walls broke apart like glass as the creature imply continued making its way towards Dusk Shine. Stepping back in fear and horror, he realized that this wasn’t any ordinary monster in the forest he had run into. He made a mad dash for town, rushing for help. This guy was unnatural, unnerving, and a gut instinct told him that he was way out of his league. All he could do at the moment was pray that a miracle would come down and help stop the monstrosity.

He rushed as fast as he can. And to his horror, the monster simply kept crawling, chasing him. Any ground he gained over his pursuer was miniscule. He almost wanted to sing safe praises of sanctuary when he could see the forest’s clearing in the distance, but a horrible came in his head: _what if I lead him into town? How many ponies would get hurt because of me?_ He stopped in his tracks, using the momentum to turn around to face the monster.

“ _You dare to stand against me after your attempt to escape?”_ he mocked. Dusk grit his teeth.

“Like hell I’m leading you to Ponyville to hurt others!”

_“Foolish mortal. If I wanted to hurt them now, I wouldn’t need you to lead me there. But I have no need of them... for now.”_ The creature grabbed Dusk Shine effortlessly, his entire body in its grip with a claw-like appendage, squeezing him painfully. Bringing him close to the closest the creature had to a face, he felt the three eyes’ piercing gaze on him. _“Right now, I only need you.”_

An arm jutted out and grabbed Dusk Shine’s horn.

“L-let me go…!” he yelled, no one around to hear his plea. He struggled, flailing around in the creature’s grasp, unable to move. In a desperate move, he tried to focus as much energy as he could into the tip of his horn for an attack. He needed to hurt it, fight back, find a way to turn the tide. This was his last gamble.

But his struggle was pointless. The creature put an end to that, simply by snapping Dusk Shine’s horn off.

Pain overtaking any sense he had before, Dusk Shine’s screams could be heard for miles. All in that single moment, he had felt himself cut off from a source of energy he had known his whole life, all compounded by the sheer physical pain of his organ being taken off from him without any way of numbing it. All he could feel, all he could think, was the pain. It didn’t even occur to him that with his horn, the creature laughed and melted into the earth. Or that as it did so, his friends miraculously had arrived as if they knew something was amiss as well and had found him on the floor, weakened and broken in the aftermath. By that time, he was already losing consciousness. All he could struggle to do through the pain was reach to where the monster had made its leave, desperate to reclaim his horn with what little strength he had. As his friends’ concerned voices asked him what had happened, he finally gave out and collapsed.


	2. Mission 1 - The Deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the prologue wasn't too bland or tedious. I feel it's a bit lacking, but I didn't want to make it too long or anything. This chapter has a lot more familiar faces involved, and where the actual story begins. I actually wanted to have this chapter out as well to avoid putting out just a lame intro and keeping others waiting for the rest of the story. It's not all done of course, but I do have a bit more to share off the bat to keep you sated. I'll try uploading in chunks and see how that goes, I feel it might help avoid having too little content in the future.  
> And because I don't feel like it fits within the chapter itself, and it technically isn't true, I'll put it here for the meme:  
> CAPCOM PRESENTS...

Storm clouds gathered over the township of Ponyville. It was scheduled, of course, but the timing had ended up quite tragic considering the circumstances. As the young pony was rushed to the hospital, many looked on in fear and terror as the kind boy they had counted on lay broken before them. Horns were rarely, if ever broken, mostly believed to be threats from myths that had long since been dismissed as fantasy. But with the evidence laying before them, many could understand that myth or no myth, whatever had caused this was a force not to be reckoned with.

Far away, a lone figure limped his way towards the town. Dressed in black with rags covering his face, the pony slowly but confidently traveled there, his goal long clear in his mind. A large fanged beast caught sight of him alone, and watched as he hobbled down to the town. It gazed at him and growled, deciding he would be his new feed.

The beast barely leaped at him before it found itself impaled violently through its head by the figure’s walking cane.

“Pathetic,” he lamented. He then looked on towards his destination, seeing the clouds gather around. Wiping the blood off his cane, he continued onward, knowing he had no time to waste.

* * *

Dusk Shine’s head ached still, but for the moment at least his pain had subsided long enough to wake up. Slowly peeling his eyes open, he saw slowly as one by one he could identify his friends as they wept, thankful he was even alive. If he hadn’t been crushed and tossed around as much as he was, he’d probably be too ashamed to even face them and reject any form of pity because of his pride and the secret he still held. But now he was just tired. Tired and hurt.

“We’re so glad you’re okay!” Pinkie Pie said, probably with the most genuinely concerned face Dusk Shine had seen on her in his time in town.

“Yeah… okay…” he muttered. He definitely didn’t feel “okay.”

“What happened, Dusk?” Applejack asked next. “The whole town started quaking, and we felt it coming from Everfree Forest. We rushed on over, but…” She didn’t need to finish. No, she didn’t _want_ to finish.

“All you found was me.”

“Y-yeah…” she stuttered. “What did this to you?”

“Was it one of the monsters in the forest?” Fluttershy asked. Dusk Shine knew she’d be concerned if it was. She was arguably closer to nature than most other ponies in regards to animals. She’d likely seek out the creature and make it atone for its wrongdoings, likely. But that wouldn’t fix what had happened, being honest.

“I think it was… a demon.”

“Demon?!” All of them asked in unison going back in shock a little bit.

“Like that dark knight crap from the stories?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I thought those were just stories! You mean to tell me one of them _really_ came after you?”

“Goodness heavens, Rainbow Dash, after everything with Nightmare Moon, you’re going to scold him on base of myth?” Rarity chided the pegasus. Yet everyone around saw her clear discomfort that matched everyone else’s present at the accusation. “…but you don’t think that _demon_ is a bit of an overestimate, yes?” She asked, as if hoping he was wrong.

Dusk Shine was quiet. She was right, of course, he knew so little about his attacker, after all. Yet a horrid, gut-wrenching feeling told him that _demon_ was the correct term. “I guess I can’t say for sure that’s the case,” he conceded, if only to help his friends ease up. Clearly, none of them bought it. “Where’s Spike?” he asked, trying to change the subject.

“He’s telling the Princess about what happened,” Rarity replied.

“Can’t imagine she’d take this well,” Rainbow Dash muttered. “So uh… how you holding up? With your horn and all, I mean-”

“DASH!” the others scolded. Dusk raised a hoof weakly.

“Don’t take it out on her. Besides, that noise is headache inducing too.”

“You gonna be okay, though? I mean…” Applejack gestured towards where his horn once was.

“Honestly? No, I’m not. I feel like something that’s been a part of me for as long as I can remember was just ripped apart from me, and now I don’t know what I’ll do without it. I feel more powerless than I’ve ever felt in my life.”

The girls all gave him a saddened look. This was the most dejected and disheartened they had ever seen him.

“Go home,” he said. “I appreciate the worry, but right now, I think I just need some rest and to be alone…”

They nodded sadly, each of them carrying worry for him, and worry for the future. If that monster, or demon, as Dusk Shine had claimed, had broken him so effortlessly, what else was out there?

* * *

Spike finished the letter explaining what happened to Dusk Shine to Princess Celestia. Honestly, he had been hoping to go see him directly, but figured he should report first and let the girls have some private time with him. That’s what bros do, right? That’s what he thought to himself at least. As a dull knock thudded around the treehouse library, Spike sighed.

“We’re closed!” he yelled out, before setting ablaze the letter to the princess. In actuality, while it looked like it was setting the parchment on fire, it was how he had learned to instantly send objects, and specifically mail, directly to her. Considering the dire circumstances, the “direct” part was probably the most important part for now.

The knock echoed through the library again. What an annoyance, some ponies just couldn’t read the room, or rather, the entire town. Everyone was clammed up in their homes as soon as they saw Dusk Shine, and the weather only seemed to enforce the notion of staying inside.

“I said we’re closed, buddy! Go home!” he growled.

The knock played one more time. _That’s it,_ Spike growled internally. Making his way to the door, Spike opened it up, ready to let whoever was so tone-deaf to try to visit a library at this time of all times have it.

“We’re clo-“ Spike started yelling. He only had started before he found himself lifted into the air. As he fell, he braced for an impact right into his face, but was surprised when instead, he found himself perched on a cane’s tip instead. Looking up, he saw the unruly visitor in black holding the cane magically, ice-cold blue eyes looking at him irritated.

“Where is he?” He asked.

“He? I don’t know who you’re talking about, but-“ Spike said, but found himself holding on to the cane for dear life before finishing as it violently shook him around.

“I have no time for this. Now tell me. Where is Dusk Shine?”

* * *

Dusk Shine looked across the room at the shelf of books lined up. Instinctually, he had attempted to use magic to try and bring one over to him. But all he found was a phantom pain instead, just stress building up the more he tried to force magic out. Of course, he knew magic was linked to a unicorn’s horn, so it wasn’t surprising. It only brought him closer to despair as every attempt to tap into that well of power he had used his whole life failed and left him more and more tired.

In the room alone, he was left with nothing but the sound of the storm outside to try to quell his anxious heart. When the door slowly opened, he was expecting a nurse, or maybe even Spike to stop by. While he was partly correct, seeing Spike walk in, he wasn’t expecting the pony following him in.

“Spike? Who’s this?” Dusk Shine asked. Spike gave a look of shame before talking back.

“I’m sorry man, this guy showed up at the treehouse, and… well, he kinda forced me.”

The pony walked across to the shelf Dusk was eyeing, grabbing a book from the shelf and flipping it open.

“Hey, who are you to come and bug my friend?” Dusk Shine questioned. The pony didn’t look up, eyes scanning the pages as he spoke.

“ _I have no name; I am but two days old._ ”

Dusk Shine raised an eyebrow. “The hell?” The pony closed the book and tossed it into his face.

“Just kidding. It’s poetry. And here I thought you were well-read. Oh well. You can call me V.”

Spike growled at “V” as he moved the book from Dusk Shine’s face. Dusk himself remained more composed. After all, he knew he was in no shape for a fight, especially in a hospital with who-know how many other ponies.

“V, huh? What is it you want?”

“A powerful demon is about to resurrect and we need your help, Dusk Shine. That is what I came here to you to say. Though it would seem that you’re in no position to do any fighting.”

“How observant of you,” Dusk Shine spat. “I’m kinda sitting in a hospital bed with a broken horn.”

“Indeed. It would seem that I was too late then…” V said, walking over to Dusk’s side. “He already has what he needs. How are you holding up?”

“Do I look okay?” Dusk said. “Go bug someone else. I won’t be of any help to you.”

“See… that is where you are wrong, Dusk Shine.”

“How do you know my name?” Dusk Shine asked.

“You and I have have been linked for quite some time. You don’t recall that day though, do you? You were just a child after all.”

Dusk Shine tried to recall. Faintly he recalled a day where he bonded with a pony in Canterlot’s libraries, not so soon after becoming Celestia’s student. The pony in blue reciting poetry to him. Come to think of it… that poetry he read earlier was one he told him back then…

“Yeah… yeah now I remember. So what now?”

“I know who took your horn, Dusk Shine. I know you feel weak, powerless. But together we can change that. We must work together to truly reclaim our strength that we’ve lost. Not just you… but me as well. We can strike back at the fiend who wronged us, and so many before. What do you say?”

Dusk Shine held his tongue back. Looking at Spike, he saw the little dragon cowering and trembling, giving him a silent look asking him to decline. He looked at V, honestly not looking much better than him. In some ways, his body seemed even less physically capable than Dusk himself, in a state where he wasn’t this injured at least. And the tone of his voice through it all… there were secrets being kept, no doubt. But his words had an allure that he wasn’t proud to admit that he considered greatly. He was weak now… but could he really help him grow stronger and to reclaim his horn? From a fiend as monstrous as the one who put him here to begin with? _I have no strength…_ he lamented. _I can’t protect anything or anyone… but if this guy is being serious…_

“What do you want me to do?” he asked. V smiled.

“You may want to brace yourself… this is going to hurt quite a bit.”

“WHAT?! WAIT!” Spike leapt forward, trying to jump V. V merely redirected the dragon with his cane into the wall.

“Don’t take it personal, boy. Besides, he’s already agreed.”

“Just get it over with,” Dusk said. V nodded, taking the cane and magically positioning it above Dusk Shine.

“ _While thy branches mix with mine, and our roots together join…_ ” V looked to the young colt, not flinching despite knowing he was about to be impaled. He had to admit, he was impressed. At the very least, the kid had some gut to him. Without any hesitation on his part though, he finally thrust the cane down into the injured colt.

Dusk grit his teeth as pain seared once again into his body, V’s cane impaling him. Spike cried in horror watching his friend impaled, V only pushing it in deeper, making it clear as day that it was skewering him. Light starting to appear around around the epicenter of the wound, before overtaking Dusk in a pillar of light. The ground before them trembled, and the large beam broke though the ceiling, stretching as far into the heavens as the stars.

As the light faded, Spike pried his eyes awake. V was nowhere to be seen. All that was left was his cane lying on the floor. But Spike was more surprised by the last witness present. Dusk Shine wasn’t in the hospital bed anymore. Shockingly, he was back on his legs, albeit he looked quite tired. He was now in attire that matched V’s black coat, and a streak of his hair had become snow white.

“D-Dusk Shine?” he asked hesitantly.

“Yeah?” he replied with labored breaths.

“You okay?”

Dusk took in deep breaths. “Yeah… I think I’m okay. Been better, but I’m at least not as bad as I was before.”

“What happened to V? What’s up with those clothes? And what happened to your hair?”

Dusk Shine looked confused, but later caught sight of his new appearance in a mirror.

“I’ll try to explain later. But I think we should lea-“

“Sir! Are you okay?” a nurse pony called through the door. “We could feel some shaking. It didn’t disturb you, did it?”

“Uh, yeah, no problems,” Dusk Shine lied, looking towards Spike, expecting him to understand what he meant. Thankfully, Spike didn’t respond. As the nurse’s hoofsteps got softer, he resumed himself. “We need to leave.”

“Leave?” Spike echoed in a quiet shock. “Dude, hate to be a bit obvious here, but you _kinda_ just took a stick through your gut. I think you should be staying if anything!”

“There’s no time for that,” Dusk said in exchange. “Besides, look at me. Right as rain-“ Dusk groaned and collapsed a bit in exhaustion. “Okay, maybe I’m not back yet completely.”

“Dude, please…” Spike begged.

“…fine. Just this one night. Then I’m off.”

“Off where?”

Dusk Shine didn’t answer. “Go home, Spike. I’ll see you later.”

Spike nodded sadly and left through to the hall. Once outside, something instantly caught his attention.

“Weird… wasn’t this storm supposed to last all night? What the heck is going on today?” His thoughts strayed back to his friend. Silent prayers on their way, Spike made his way to the library again. All he could do was hope Dusk Shine would indeed be true to his word and return to explain the circumstances.

He would be wrong. Not long after Spike left, Dusk opened the window and leapt out; the hospital staff none the wiser. Going around the hospital the long way across, Dusk Shine slowly limped his way to the forest once again using V’s cane. And with him, 5 familiar other ponies in pursuit from a distance, confused and worried for the crippled colt.


	3. Mission 2 - Old Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last one I finished before posting these first few chapters up. I had fun writing the DMC side of the cast here. A first shot at a bit of action, too, at least better than the prologue's.  
> PS: Click the link when it shows up. Might get you a bit more amped up for the scene following it.

“Why do you want me to go back to the Everfree Forest?” Dusk Shine asked.

“ _Simply put, we have unfinished business around here,”_ V’s voice echoed in his head. _“We need you to be able to survive long enough, after all. You’re going to need all the help you can get.”_

Dusk Shine sighed and limped onward. V’s presence in his head was certainly something that he would need to get used to. Though intelligent, he would tend to be a bit more cold with his suggestions. He’d search for a practical and direct solution, and that would result in Dusk Shine needing to tell lies to others to satisfy the needs of the voice in his head. He’d not have minded staying a night in the hospital bed, but V insisted otherwise that the pair needed to start now.

“ _Keep moving,_ ” V demanded. “ _The sooner you do accomplish this, the sooner you’ll be able to get your revenge on the one who took your horn.”_

Crawling slowly down the natural path, Dusk Shine felt his body tire sooner than he’d have liked. But V spurred him on.

“How much farther?” Dusk Shine asked.

“ _Not much more, I think._ ”

“Well you wanna tell me what we’re looking for at least?”

“Should be askin’ you what yer doin’ out here to begin with,” a voice rung out. Dusk Shine turned and saw that he wasn’t alone. Of course, the voice was Applejack’s, and she had brought the others in tow.

“Damn it,” Dusk swore, with V only sighing in his head. “Go home, girls-“

“You first,” Applejack spat back.

“Look, I can explain, just-“

“Darling, please, you’re in no condition to argue, and you know it,” Rarity cut him off.

“I’ll give you this, you must be made of iron or something if you’re back up on your feet already though,” Rainbow Dash added.

“Don’t encourage him, please…” Fluttershy whimpered.

“Alright, Dusk, you heard us!” Pinkie Pie yelled. “We’re going home now!”

“But-“ Dusk was trying to reason, but it was clear none of them wanted to hear it. “Why the hell are you here anyway? It’s way past midnight, it’s dangerous.”

“We’re here because we’re worried for you, you dummy,” Pinkie replied.

“That, and there was this _huge_ light from the hospital, I think everypony woke up. So uh… what was the deal with that, anyway?”

“We can ask that later, Dash,” Applejack said assuming control. “Right now we need to get out of here. Damn it, Dusk, ya should know it’s dangerous in here, why are you waltzin’ back in?!”

“Because _I_ am trying to help the boy be active in this situation, unlike you,” Dusk spoke up in a voice distinctly not his own. “Oh crap…” he swore briefly in his own voice, recognizing it as V’s before falling under his influence again. “He and I made a deal, and I am to to upkeep it.” Staring Applejack dead on, the girls all could see his eyes were now an icy blue, unlike his regular violet eyes. “You’re free to join us on this path, if you’re so concerned. Maybe once we have what we need, we will indulge all of your questions…” V, within Dusk Shine’s body, walked onward towards his goal. As he left the others in the distance, he addressed them one last time before leaving their sight and going deeper into the forest. “…if you survive, at least.”

* * *

“ _What the hell was that, V! Those are my friends!_ ” Dusk Shine roared angrily, now in V’s position of the voice within.

“They would have gotten in our way,” V reasoned calmly. “I’m merely warning them of what lies ahead. Would you have preferred that they boldly accompany us into our battle?”

“ _You didn’t need to highjack my body for that!_ ”

“Sure I did. You were flustered and caught off guard as soon as they showed their faces to us. And don’t tell me you weren’t thinking much of the same they were. You think you’re not cut out for this as you are, correct?”

Dusk Shine sighed, had he been in control of his body, he would have pouted. “ _I guess you’re right…_ _but that doesn’t mean I don’t approve of how you treated them._ ”

“Apologize to them later. If they are the friends you think they are, they’ll get over it. But we have more pressing matters lying ahead. We’re almost there…”

Ahead lay a ruined temple, one familiar to Dusk Shine.

“ _This is the castle we fought Nightmare Moon in… what are we doing here?_ ” he asked.

“This castle still has quite a bit of demonic energy remaining from years past,” V explained. “I figure that this would make it an optimal location to resummon my familiars.”

“ _Demonic energy? Are you insane?_ ”

“Not quite. We’re simply summoning some old friends, in a manner of speaking. The energy will only make it easier for them to come.”

“ _V, I didn’t agree to helping you summon any demons! I won’t let you-_ “

“Sorry, but I’m afraid you’re too late to speak otherwise,” he cut Dusk Shine off. “But take my word for this: these demons I summon will not be used to harm those you wish to protect. Rather, to fight back against our foes.”

“ _Likely story! Now cut it out and let me go!_ ”

V laughed. Dusk Shine was certainly proving to be entertaining company at least.

* * *

“That nerd is going to get us all killed one of these days, I swear…”

Rainbow Dash was about to kick herself in the ass, but she kept in pursuit of “Dusk Shine” from a distance, barely able to keep sight of him. Seeing him walk into the abandoned castle across a rickety bridge, Rainbow Dash flew quickly back to the others, waiting for her to report. “He went over to _that_ castle. You know, the one we fought Nightmare Moon.”

“That doesn’t sound good,” Applejack said. “C’mon, we better hustle up. Something’s up with Dusk Shine, and whatever it is we gotta help him.”

The others nodded, but Pinkie Pie raised a hoof trying to get attention. “Hey, I know we’re rushing to save him and all, but anybody else getting a funny feeling?”

“Pinkie sense?” the others asked. The pink pony shook her head.

“See, that’s the thing, I was thinking it’s already kinda bad he’s walking into the Everfree Forest and all, like oh my gosh you silly foal that’s dangerous, there’s monsters in there, they’re all big and spooky and will eat you up with their tummy teeth-“

“Tummy teeth?” Fluttershy quickly caught.

“Pinkie Pie, get to the point,” Applejack said.

“That’s the thing! Didn’t you notice we haven’t seen a single monster in here? And we’ve been here for like ever!”

“Now that you mention it, you’re right.”

“That’s a good thing though, isn’t it?” Rarity asked. “The less distractions, the better?”

“Normally? Yeah, but this doesn’t sit right with me either.”

“Maybe they’re all afraid, too…” Fluttershy said. “They’d have no reason to hide unless there was a threat to them.”

“Something to scare off all the monsters in Everfree, huh?” Rainbow Dash echoed. “…hey, what did Dusk say he thought took his horn again?”

There was a tense silence. None of them really wanted to affirm the theory.

Applejack was the first to shake off the fear. “C’mon, we ain’t gonna help anypony by standing around here. Let’s git.”

The others nodded. Their friend was in trouble, and they intended to stand by him through thick and thin.

* * *

“Ah, here we are,” V said as he walked through into one of the many unexplored halls. “What do you think of the decor?” The chamber had no doubt seen better days. Littered with aged and rusted blades on the floor, suits of armor all posed and scattered around. In the center lay a statue of a figure on hind legs with a unique sword planted into the ground Though difficult to truly identify _what_ this figure was, it clearly was a powerful figure, proudly standing with its sword and towering above the surrounding armor sets.

“ _Spooky,_ ” Dusk Shine quipped. “ _I’m not gonna be able to talk you out of this, am I?”_

“Of course not. But don’t worry, as I said, my intentions for this are far more benevolent than most others who would do such a thing. After all…” V raised the cane to point to the great statue. “The Legendary Dark Knight watches over us.”

“ _Legendary Dark Knight…”_ Dusk Shine let set in. The Legendary Dark Knight was an ancient Equestrian myth, one echoed all throughout the world. Until recently, he thought it was simply that, a myth. But given the extraordinary events he had seen, he wasn’t opposed to start believing in it as well.

“Here it is,” V said, finding an ancient and worn stone slab buried in some wreckage. “And with this, we’ll be able to get some much needed help.”

“ _How so?_ ”

“You see these carvings in here? The three curved ones. They represent the essences of three demons long since slain. They lack form, for they are nothing more but cast off nightmares long since past. But, they are still intelligent enough to recognize an opportunity when they see one.”

“ _An opportunity for what, world domination?”_

V chuckled. “Perhaps. But as I said, they are intelligent, and not completely without soul. And these demons… They and I have quite a history, I’ll leave it at that.”

“ _Wonderful… V, who the hell are you?”_ Dusk Shine winced in his etherial form as a flash overtook his vision, seeing… _something_ briefly.

“That answer your question?”

“ _Not really… anyway, how the hell are you gonna get these guys then? You said it yourself, they’re long gone. And I don’t know what kind of demon magic you want my body to do if you’re gonna do some crazy summoning-”_

Dusk Shine was dumbstruck as he watched V simply smash the tablet.

“Problem solved.”

“ _Your kidding, right?”_

“There’s an old saying you may have heard of… when in doubt, smack it.”

“ _You’re a genius. So what now?_ ”

A large bird flew by Dusk Shine’s face in an instant, laughing.

“Well, well, well. Looks like we have another little shrimp walking around with that old thing. What a day to be alive again.”

“ _It speaks?_ ” Dusk Shine asked.

“Damn right, I speak!” the bird said, laughing as it landed in his face. “Gee, V, where’d you dig up this guy?"

V smiled as he saw his old friend once again take form. “Dusk Shine… this is what remains of the mighty Griffon, once a proud servant of the Demon King.”

“Hey, watch it!” Griffon quipped back. “I may be a lot smaller than I used to be, but I still pack one hell of a punch!”

“Griffon… this is Dusk Shine. He’ll be my vessel for the coming journey.”

“Ah, is that so?” the feathered fiend said. “Damn, some kid you picked for the job. Look at him, his horn's all smashed up! And here I thought you were crazy when you had-“

“A setback to be sure, but you and I both know how that incident ended, don't we?”

“Uh, actually… I don’t. We kinda _died_ , remember?”

“Well, that was on you, then. Besides… I’m here now, aren’t I? That should give you an idea of what happened enough. Where are the others?”

“Like I know. Nightmare’s always doing his own thing, I think we’re fine for whenever he feels like dropping in.”

“And our favorite feline?”

“Off in the castle from what I can tell. Lots of shadowy places for him to just lay low and take a nap.”

“Well then, I say we can use this as a team building exercise. Dusk Shine, you can have your body back. Thanks for your cooperation.”

As Dusk Shine felt himself able to control his body again, he sighed.

“Phew, was beginning to miss my body there,” he said relievedly. “V? What now?”

“I think he wanted us to go find the next demon, wise-guy,” Griffon said. “Listen, I know V’s weird and all, but… considering you’ve got him in you now, I think it’s a bit too late for you to change your mind on all this.”

“That so? So what about you? You were his, right?”

“I made a pact with him years ago, first of all, learn the difference before I throw a lighting bolt your way,” Griffon sneered. “And second, whether we like it or not, he’s bonded his soul to you, so I’m technically with you too.”

“Is that how you heard me when he had my body?”

“Kid, we can be here all day, but I think a better use of both of our time is for you to move it and find that demon kitty that’s in the castle now. We can cover the bases when we got it out of our hair. Sound good?”

“Well… don’t have much of a choice, now do I? Let’s go.”

* * *

The remaining ponies walked into the familiar ruin.

“Is it just me, or is it darker in here than last time?” Applejack asked.

Rarity illuminated the room a bit from her horn. “I’d say I can’t be certain, but this darkness seems more prevalent this time around…”

“Girls, you should know this isn’t just darkness!” Pinkie said. “This is… _advanced darkness._ ”

The others rolled their eyes, but continued onward.

“Alright, now if I was some creepy psycho coming to an abandoned castle, where would I be?” Rainbow Dash asked aloud.

“Dash,” Applejack chided.

“I’m kidding. Jeez, have a little bit more faith, will ya?” Rainbow Dash wasn’t showing it, but she was indeed concerned for her friend just as much as the rest. The quips were coming more from hoping they’d belly her own worry. Apparently, they were working _too_ well. “Seriously though, how are we gonna find him? Should we split up or something?”

“Was thinking that too, yeah. Maybe we can-“

“Uh, girls?” Pinkie Pie called out.

“Yeah?”

“Where’s Fluttershy?”

* * *

On one hand, she was quite scared, and clearly trembling with each step she made in the dark halls. On the other, she loved animals far too much to ignore the purrs she could hear from away. While the others were planning, she slipped away towards the sound. It was looking like they were planning to split up anyway, so it might just be better to take that first step.

“Hello? Are you there?” She called out. It was near pitch black, the shadows all around more or less hiding the opposite end of the room. “I know I heard you earlier… are you okay?”

From the shadows, a red pair of orbs lit up and focused on her. Hearing a sharp hiss, Fluttershy eased up a bit.

“Don’t worry, I don’t want to hurt you,” she said. “I just want to be your friend… is that okay?”

The creature growled, but stepped towards her. In front of her, she saw the red orbs attached and tied to a lovely panther, its fur slicked and as black as the shadows it emerged from. Though it growled more to intimidate her, Fluttershy held her ground, offering her hoof to it. “There there…” she cooed. And finally, the beast nuzzled her hoof in affection. Fluttershy felt her heart melt, it was always a pleasure reaching out to a new animal. “Good boy!” She said smiling, before the panther nuzzled her again, this time far closer to her face. Not that she minded, though. In fact, it made her happier to see it trust her more. “Hey, you didn’t happen to see someone come by, now did you?” The panther tilted its head. “It’s okay. I’m looking for a friend, you see. We’re very worried about him… but I’m very happy I got to meet you! Maybe when we find him, we can-”

She found herself cut off by the echoes of her friends calling her name. Fluttershy sighed in a bit of annoyance. It would seem the others caught wind of her disappearance and went back on the “split up” plan.

“I have to go now. But I promise I’ll come back to see you soon, okay?” The panther nodded obediently and began to return to the shadows it came from.

“There you are, Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash said flying into the room. “Don’t leave like that without telling us, okay? You nearly gave us a panic attack, you know?”

“Sorry, I just found this animal and I-“

“Got it.” She winked at her fellow pegasus friend. “That it over there?” She noted the panther. Unfortunately, the panther was far less eager to meet this pegasus. Roaring, its form started to shift, with its legs noticably getting thinner and its shape more angular, including what appeared to be a spiky blob in its torso. Watching the increase of spikes in its core, the gears in Rainbow Dash’s head clicked. “Uh oh.”

[A large spike ejected almost instantaneously from the panther as Fluttershy cried in horror. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ra9pucv1lZM)Rainbow Dash barely had any time to fly out of the spike’s way, it narrowly missing her. “Get out of here!” she yelled, the panther reshaping into its animal-like form. Rainbow Dash took flight out of the room, but before Fluttershy could reach to calm her new friend, the beast leapt out from the shadows and into the hallway in pursuit.

Looking back to see she was still being pursued, Rainbow Dash cussed herself out in her head, realizing that she might have only made things worse by leading it out into the rest of the castle. She quickly prayed that she’d find a way to lose it, and hopefully, if the thing _was_ sane enough, Fluttershy would be able to tame it.

“Ooh, Dash, did you find Fluttershy yet?” Pinkie Pie said cheerfully down the hall. Once again, Dash cussed in her mind.

“PINKIE, BOOK IT!” she yelled, flying towards her and away from the monster chasing her. The pink earth pony quickly caught sight of the monster, and saluted.

“Gotcha! Let’s go!” she said, catching a slight glimpse of poor Fluttershy tailing the monster. Oh, the woes of an animal lover as her.

It didn’t take long for Applejack and Rarity to share the misfortune of finding the others running for their life in similar circumstances. They’d chew out Rainbow Dash for leading it to them later, but at the moment all of them were very much more concerned for their survival.

And misfortune only continued, as the four other ponies found themselves cornered against the wall by the black monster. Bracing themselves in fear as the creature closed in on them, it switched to a slow stalk towards them, evidently tiring out from the chase.

“Sorry girls… I screwed this up big time,” Rainbow Dash apologized.

“Well, at least ya owned up to it, whatever it was ya did,” Applejack said. “Was an honor knowin’ y’all, girls.”

“Agreed,” Rarity pitched in. “At least we won’t be alone in these dire final moments…”

Pinkie Pie was clearly set on being herself to the very end, though. “Oh hey look, a bird!”

The others looked up to find an large azure bird in the air, just as Pinkie had observed. Looking up, Rainbow Dash noticed a small balcony and exit into another hall. It wasn’t hard to assume that it was how the bird got in. But she wasn’t going to leave all her friends to die alone. That was anything _but_ her style.

“My, my, aren’t you the observant type,” it said. “Shame my buddy here looks like he’s just about to eat you all for dinner. Hey, don’t take it personally, we only were gone for a good few thousand years, can’t blame someone for being hungry like him, ya know?”

“ **WAIIIIIT!** ” Down the hall, Fluttershy had finally caught up to the panther, even garnering its attention. “You stop chasing them _right now!_ Those are my friends! That’s really mean of you to try to hurt them like that!”

The bird laughed as it watched on.

“Oh man, now _this_ is funny! Easily justified coming back up, boss man is gonna love this!”

The other four ponies collapsed in relief as Fluttershy continued scolding the panther.

“Hey… it’s not just me who heard that bird talk, right?” Rainbow Dash asked through her panting.

“Nope! He totally talked!” Pinkie Pie chirped cheerfully.

“Okay… any other confirmation besides Pinkie being Pinkie?” Rainbow said, Pinkie giving a small whine at her friend’s statement.”

“I suppose I make a third,” Rarity confirmed.

“Yep, same here,” Applejack affirmed. “Talkin’ bird. That’s a new one for the books.”

“So hey, I know you all are tired and all,” the bird said flapping down to their level to look em in the eye. “But while I’m here, you want me to put you all out of your misery? I mean, it wouldn’t be hard and all-”

**_“Don’t you dare.”_ **

All eyes present looked towards the final figure looking down from above, from the balcony the bird had approached from. The bird flew back up to the balcony.

“Yeesh, calm down, it was just a joke. What, you have that cane in your ass or something? Anyway, look, we found our guy.” Instantly, all the girls’ were filled with the energy of relief and happiness as they all ran to embrace Dusk Shine, who was gently being descended from above by the talking bird, though not without complaints of his weight.

All of them talked at once, all of them voicing similar concerns and thoughts. “We were so worried!” “We had no idea what happened to you!” But while Dusk felt their comfort nice, he gently asked for some space.

“Here you are, huh?” he said, looking towards the panther. “You know unlike your feathered friend here, you lead us on quite the search. Thankfully, my friends seem alright, so I'll let it slide for now. So, you going to keep V waiting?”

The beast perked up at the mention of the name V, and purred as it walked up next to him. Nuzzling him as it did Fluttershy, he sank into the floor in an inky black spot.

Fluttershy giggled a bit. “It looks like he liked you, too,” she said.

“Man, you guys are weird,” the bird interrupted. “Trust me, kitty over there doesn’t usually let ponies off easily. Usually he gives em the whole slice and dice treatment, leaves a big old bloody mess for-”

Fluttershy’s eyes lit up at the bird. “Oh! Hello! I’m sorry I didn’t notice you, I’m Fluttershy-“

“Hoo boy. This’ll be something,” the bird said, rolling his eyes as Fluttershy went on, excited by the prospect of yet another new animal friend.

“Dusk… you okay?” Applejack asked, now able to catch her breath. “You were actin’ kinda funny back in the forest. Like, ‘completely different pony’ funny.”

Dusk sighed. “Well, we did say we’d give you answers… Follow me. I think it’s about time I explain my situation to you all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shadow's theme triggers a fight or flight sense in me, but the DMC5 version is a good theme to hear back regardless, and made good for the chase scene in mind. I hope the execution is good, I do want to keep music as a part of the fic as well. With Griffon and Shadow now around, you certainly can expect another few familiar songs to play for some action set pieces later.  
> As for the language... well, it's fanfiction. And I always got a kick of how eager Griffon yells "fuck yeah!" admittedly. He was just fun to write in general, as the only one of V's familiars who actually talked. And as such, rest in peace to his voice actor, Brad Venable. Your performance was great, and you will be missed.


	4. Mission 3 - Legends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of exposition, namely worldbuilding. But there is a fight to go along with this at the end. I just hope the exposition dump isn't unbearable.

Even when gathered together, the castle ruins were quite spooky for the group trying to navigate. Despite the girls’ requests to discuss this back in town, Dusk Shine, or rather, V, insisted that they remain in the ruins for the sake of clarity in his explanation. Meanwhile, Griffon and Shadow went off, Griffon saying they still had to find “the big guy.”

“Looks like we’re back here like he wanted…” Dusk Shine observed as he walked back into the familiar room of swords and statues he had awoken Griffon and Shadow.

“That guy in your head wanted you to bring us here?” Rainbow Dash asked. “What’s so special about here?”

“Can’t say I know much about it myself,” Dusk admitted. “He did mention one thing in here though… that statue.” Dusk Shine aimed his cane at the large statue in the center. “He said it was the Legendary Dark Knight.”

The words echoed in the hall as they all looked up at the grand statue in the center. Two large horns curved down from the sides of its head, and large insectoid wings came from its back.

“Well, it’s certainly got the whole _Dark Knight_ feel to it, I guess,” Applejack said. “But just to be sure… he’s not talkin’ about the statue itself, right?”

Dusk Shine’s eye color faded as it turned from purple to V’s blue. “No,” V replied in a mournful tone. “That’s just a statue. The Dark Knight himself died long ago…”

“Oh great, this guy again,” Rainbow Dash scowled. “You gonna start talking now or what?”

“I suppose I did promise that to you all…” V murmured. “And you did survive this long even with Shadow hunting you… I think you’ve at least earned a bit of clarity. As I told the boy, you may call me V.”

“Hiya V, I’m Pinkie Pie, and-“ the pink pony quickly found her mouth covered by Fluttershy’s hoof, who simply nodded and motioned to the slightly irritated V.

“Thank you. Now, as I was saying...”

“Why are you in our friend’s body?” Applejack asked directly. V sighed. It was a miracle this kid lasted with these mares as long as he did.

“Am I going to be able to explain the situation, or are you all simply going to talk and prolong this?” Applejack pouted but chose silence. “Good. Now, to get down to business. Millennia ago, the demon world was ruled by a powerful demon king called Mundus. As the story goes, he was betrayed, defeated, and eventually overthrown, by the demon you know as the Legendary Dark Knight… Sparda. Over time, Sparda chose mortality, and eventually took a wife, and started a family. But Mundus was observant even after his defeat, and once Sparda passed into death’s embrace… he struck back. Sending his hoards after the defenseless family, Mundus slew Sparda’s beloved and sent the children scattered and alone. I think you know where this leads to… they became their own legends, those who’s names you remember now over their father’s… Dante and Vergil.”

The ponies present all nodded. The Legendary Devil Hunter of myth, Dante, and his twin brother, the Black Angel, Vergil. It was an epic nearly all children were told, of the heroic hunter who defended the world from demons, even against his power-hungry brother, ending with the two uniting as kin and becoming defenders to all. So much of it had been lost to history, though, if V’s story was true. The story rarely addressed the brothers’ father, to the point that nopony in the room had heard of the name Sparda prior. That, and the stories they had been told as children never acknowledged the legends as part of each other’s. V continued his story.

“As you know, Dante and Vergil were… rarely a pair to see eye to eye. They disagreed on the very nature of their existence, and as such clashed more than any brothers should. But despite that, they knew of their common enemy: the demon king that had torn their family apart and stole their mother from them. So when they finally were able to put their differences aside, they did battle with the demon king, seeking once and for all to end him. But despite their immeasurable power, the twins could not kill him. Defeat him, crush him, and seal him, but the power to truly end him, to free the world from his threat to ever harm another, was unattainable to them. And now, thousands of years since, Mundus has returned. And it was him that took your friend’s horn, seeking to use it as a catalyst that would grant him even more power. At this point, his return is inevitable.”

V looked at the ponies around to see varying levels of anxiety and fear from his story, as he expected.

“I came to your friend in hope. He may not have the strength of Sparda, Dante, or Vergil, but he held promise. I need him to help me find the Sons of Sparda, or any of their bloodline. They are the only ones who can stop Mundus. Even one alone can help change the tide of this coming war.”

“So… where do you fit into this, then?” Rarity asked.

“I fought by their side long ago… but now I am but a remnant of that, from an era long gone by. You could think of me as a ghost of sorts. But I was sent with a purpose, to find the Sons of Sparda… And if possible, to free them.”

“F-free them?” Fluttershy whimpered.

“You sayin’ they’re trapped?” Applejack followed up.

“It would be most likely. Why else would such legendary warriors suddenly vanish without a trace, after all? And _what_ would be powerful enough to be able to contain them, the unstoppable demon brothers who could topple a demon king? Especially when they’re needed now more than ever. Tell me, does this sit right with you?”

“Like hell it does,” Rainbow Dash said. “You mean to tell me that there’s a demon doomsday coming up, and some jerks out there are hiding and holding the guys who can stop it? Who’s flank do I have to kick? I’ll make em see stars!”

“My guess? Far beyond your league,” V said. “But a good starting point I think would be your princesses.”

“Wait, what?”

“Your ruling forces, yes? They are opposites to the Sons of Sparda, the light to their darkness.”

“You tryin’ to say that the princesses are responsible for all this?!” Applejack yelled, fury quickly overtaking her.

“No,” V responded. “But though time has forgotten, they too have history with them… they are undoubtedly connected to this.

“Wait, you mean to say that the princesses _knew_ these two?” Rarity interjected.

“How do you think Luna was sealed in the moon for a thousand years?” he replied with a smirk on his face. “Do you think Celestia really had it in her to lock her sister away for so long?”

“Oooooooh, so Dante and Vergil did that whole thingy!” Pinkie Pie said. V nodded at her conclusion.

“And seeing as they merely sealed her, you actually finished the job they couldn’t: you salvaged her soul. That is deserving of some merit.” V took a deep breath. “Is there anything else you would want to know regarding my quest?”

“Um… Mr. V,” Fluttershy spoke up timidly. “I hope you don’t mind me asking this, but… are you going to give Dusk Shine his body back after this is over?”

V nodded once again. “Once I have accomplished my mission, I’ll give the boy his free will and body back. And hopefully, I’ll have my own as well…”

“So is there any way we can talk to him while you’re highjacking him?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“There is now. It would seem I have enough demonic power from the area as well as my familiars to try this old trick out…” From V, or rather Dusk Shine’s, broken horn, a faint glow resonated as a spectral blue figure split from him. To everyone’s shock, the figure was identical to him, but with a complete horn instead. “What do you think?”

The specter sighed in relief. “Part of me is just glad to be able to move again,” he said. “Even if it’s not really my body…”

“DUSK SHINE?!” the mares all cried out in surprise.

“Yeah, that’s me,” he replied. He looked towards V with a look of uncertainty on his face. “V, tell me… what is it you’re really after?”

“Oh? Am I hiding something from you?” he asked wryly.

“From what you’re showing me, I’ve got a funny feeling you’re not being completely honest with us.”

“Hm. Believe what you want, then. I’m still here, and you still are bound to me. You and I are in this together, like it or not.”

“If that’s the case, then I want you to swear to me, keep them safe and _out of this_.”

“See, unfortunately, Dusk Shine, I don’t think that I’m the one you’re going to need to ask about that.”

The young stallion turned back to face his friends, all looking back at him with slight offense.

“Girls, thanks for coming and all, but-“

“Dude, save it,” Rainbow Dash said. “I think we all know we’re coming with you by now.”

Dusk Shine sighed. “It’ll be dangerous,” he warned.

“We’ve faced danger in the face before, sugarcube,” Applejack said. “We’ve made it through before. We’ll make it through again.”

“Yeah! Danger’s not stopping us from this wild ride!” Pinkie Pie added. “In fact, I _laugh_ at danger! HAHA!”

“You must understand that we can’t allow you to simply undertake this all on your own, darling,” Rarity said. “Whatever trials come, I’m sure we’ll overcome together.”

Fluttershy nodded at Rarity’s statement. “It sounds really scary, what V is talking about… but I want to help too, however I can. Please let us help you, Dusk Shine.”

“Besides, you _know_ we’re the best backup you’ll have!” Rainbow Dash said with a pat on his etherial back.

V watched on with a slight chuckle. It would seem that these girls were made out of sterner stuff than he gave them credit for at first. “Let them come, then,” he said from afar. “Clearly, they wouldn’t have it otherwise at this point.”

Dumbstruck and at a lack for words, Dusk Shine conceded. “Just promise me you’ll all stay careful, okay?” The girls all nodded, with the exception of Rainbow Dash.

“You know me! I don’t know the meaning of the word!” the girls all laughed, but Dusk Shine rolled his eyes and sighed.

“Well then V, we done here?”

“For the most part, it would seem so…” V said. “Let’s go. We have no time to waste.”

Griffon came flying back into the room as they made for the exit. “Hey V, got everything out in the air? Good, because big guy’s waiting out in the front, and-“

“Good,” V stopped the feathered demon. “Let’s not keep him waiting. After all, we have quite a journey ahead of us.”

“Yeah, but I was saying that it looked like we’re not alone anymore. Some real ugly freaks out there, definitely underworld regulars.”

“Ah, a warm-up?”

“Well, the band’s back together, so no doubt we’re good. I’m more talking about them, you know?” Griffon motioned to the mares, who all looked at the talking bird with concern.

“So you mean to say that demons are already breakin’ out and comin’ for us?” Applejack asked.

“No worries,” V said nonchalantly. “They’re likely weaklings compared to our true target. We’ll break through. With intense prejudice, if need be.”

* * *

From the entrance, the ponies watched the bunch of demons swarming past the bridge. Several breeds appeared, from some airborne bats to other scythe-wielding fiends on their hind legs, with jaws wide agape as if dislocated and frozen in place. None of them had noticed the ooze that that sunk into the floor as they walked through the entrance.

“That… is a lot more bad guys than I expected, gotta be honest,” Rainbow Dash said.

“What’s the matter? Chickening out?” Griffon jeered.

“Like hell I am! Just-“

“Hey, listen, there’s no shame in turning tail now, after all, lots of violence and all, and truth be told you seem like the type to be squeamish!”

“I’m not turning back now just because of a little blood, featherface!

“Why you little-!”

The two’s bickering didn’t change the other girls’ demeanor, a sense of dread all present in some capacity.

“Dusk Shine, are you sure we’ll be able to get through?” Fluttershy asked timidly. “It looks dangerous…”

Dusk Shine did not answer.

[“ _He who desires but acts not breeds pestilence_ …”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5kOwgdQh20) V said, looking into his book as he crossed the bridge. “So it is written.”

“Oh yeah, that one-liner again,” Griffon said. “Alright, listen up ladies, I’m only gonna say this once! The boys and I are gonna go kick some ass, so you just stay back and watch the fireworks. But obviously we’re not gonna be watching your backs, so don’t get too comfy! Take it from me, dyin’s not a fun time, and you all aren’t getting a second chance!” With that, he quickly flew across to the other side, where V had already been facing down the demons.

Hellbats, Seven Hells, maybe a Sin Scissor or two… no problem at all. V kept his gaze locked on the first foe he felt was an easy target, one of the Hellbats. “Flank ‘em,” he commanded, a wicked smirk on his face.

“On it!” Griffon yelled, flying like a speeding bullet into the hellbat, who had barely started to gather up flames in its mouth to spit at its prey. After having the wind knocked out from it, the bat fell crashing into the floor, unable to get up as he felt a bolt of lightning surge through it painfully, overtaking it from end to end. On death’s door, the bat lay defeated, as he struggled to crawl back up, its fragile limbs now a fragile and specter-like white. And as it struggled, V instantly teleported before it, before stabbing the downed bat through its chest and putting it out of its misery.

A Hell Caina had charged towards V after he slew the first demon, though it found itself face to face with the barrage of a spinning saw-like blade that had materialized before reaching him. As it staggered back, the saw revealed to be the black cat Shadow, who quickly went and pounced at the Hell Caina. Meanwhile, V was already directing Griffon towards others, sending barrages of lightning bolts their way. Shadow leapt off of the Hell Caina, weakened to near-death as it stood battered and defeated, waiting to join the Hellbat in death with V’s execution. Shadow sank to the floor to emerge near V’s side, obeying the pony’s command to “slice them,” large swipes from its paw making short work of the fiends in its path.

From afar, the mares watched in awe of V and Dusk Shine’s battle against the demons, and how they commanded their compatriots with such ease.

“Damn, that actually looks pretty cool…” Rainbow Dash admitted.

“Cool? Try stylish! It’s totally the word for fights like this!” Pinkie Pie chirped.

“Pinkie, darling, please avoid using fashion terminology for such violence,” Rarity plead. Neither of the other two engrossed in the fight gave her much mind.

V stabbed adying Hell Caina from behind him with his cane, muttering “Die” to it as he twirled around it and it shattered to his cane.

“Brutal!” Pinkie yelled from afar. V smirked. Definitely less squeamish than he expected. But he did catch one thing from the girl’s position from afar, the emerging shape of a Sin Scissor that had made its way to much more vulnerable targets. Not on his watch, though. Raising his hoof, a snap rung through the air.

“Behold, _the Nightmare of death!”_ he called, his mane being overtaken in white, consuming Dusk's natural hair color.

From behind the ponies, right before the Sin Scissors cut up them up, a large, massive mass burst out from the ground. All of the mares yelling and huddling up in shock, the scissors-wielding demon cried with ghastly wails as its scissors flew out of its hands, shattered by the mass. Its face bled in a mist leaking through its mask, its wails growing more and more agonizingly Its cries were subsequently silenced as the mass came by once again to crush the being, its white mask being smashed into the wall with an earth-shattering slam. As the ponies watched the bloodied remains of the Sin Scissor shatter and their unknown savior sink back into the ground, they agreed to keep better eye of all angles as Griffon had suggested earlier.

With the Sin Scissor that threatened the girls dead, V quickly focused on the remaining Sin Scissor, sending Griffon to hurl lightning bolts as Shadow carved through the rest of the demons. From beneath the Scissor, the black mass he had summoned - Nightmare, his final familiar - had once again struck, smashing the scissors effortlessly and sending the demon flying. Sensing the chance to end the battle with one strike, he leapt into the air himself, and launched a barrage of magical replicas of his cane to surround him. Within an instant, the canes all found themselves lodged in an individual remaining demon, and as he fell back to the floor, they had found death, the cane destroying them all from the inside out just like his own normal finishing blows.

With the demons all dispatched, and the ground littered with demon blood - and fortunately, some tangible red orbs formed from them as well - V passed his hoof through his hair, the color starting to return to it quickly. Nightmare had given a monotonous hum as it sunk once more into the floor, the fight finished. The girls cautiously made their way across the bridge seeing the demons all cleared out, and Pinkie Pie and Rarity tugging a mass of crystalized red masses that remained where the Sin Scissors had attempted to strike them.

“Are you all okay?” Dusk Shine asked, his eye color now once again dominant, signifying his control over his body.

“Yep!” Pinkie chirped. “You, or V, were all like ‘WHOOSH, GO GET EM,’ and twirling around and didn’t get hit like nothing, and it was super cool, and-“

“You all nearly got hurt, damn it!”

“Depending on how that demon was feeling, and how they would have angled the scissors, I’d have said _killed_ , myself,” V said, now appearing in a doppelganger form. Unlike Dusk Shine, he appeared far different, this being the first time the others had seen him in this form. Desheveled hair, almost certainly a bonier and more fragile body, and unlike Dusk Shine, of course, a complete horn. It was clear that even though he wasn’t as wounded as Dusk Shine, he still was quite physically lacking.

“Wow, this is what you really look like, V?” Rainbow Dash asked. “You look like hell.”

“And I’ve indeed _felt_ hell, thank you,” he shot back.

“Anyway, excuse me, V,” Rarity cut them off. “But I can’t help but notice, seeing as jewels are my area of expertise, these seem… different. As in-“

“They emerged from the blood of the slain demons, yes,” he finished.

“Right… is there a reason, may I ask, such ghastly orbs as these are for?”

“I just thought they would make cool Nightmare Night decorations!” Pinkie said.

“They are to be sacrificed to an elder god,” V said, ignoring Pinkie Pie. “It is said he cares naught for one’s origins, only their justice. So long as he brings the blood of these fallen demons, he shall offer strength to those in exchange.”

“I… see…” Rarity said, wincing a bit.

“If you are attuned to such orbs as these though, I’d like to ask you to keep your eyes - and your horn - on alert for them,” he asked. “Though these bloodied ones are certainly the most common, I know there are other kinds that will no doubt help in our journey. And perhaps less horrifying to look at to boot.”

“Right, I’ll keep that in mind.”

“So this was just the start, huh?” Applejack said.

“Yes,” V and Dusk Shine responded in unison. Dusk Shine looked briefly at V, slightly unnerved compared to the other's apparent annoyance, wanting to avoid overlap like that for his own comfort. When V remained silent, he continued. “C’mon, we should be going back to town. Once we're back, we can get ready for what's next.”

“And where we goin' next?”

“Canterlot Castle,” V answered. “It’s about time I called in a favor.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Never really got a fight scene under my belt like this, I do hope it's simple enough to follow. I mostly stuck with a few audio cues from V's moveset as well to hopefully help people with hopefully a better mental image as to what's actually happening, if you're familiar with his gameplay at least. And of course, Crimson Cloud was a necessity for it.  
> I was fighting my hardest not to just completely re-explain the entirety of the Devil May Cry series' events with V's exposition, even though they arguably aren't exactly the same due to the nature of this universe and the shift into naturally integrating the series into its history. I can likely make a more detailed explanation as to how every other detail (including the very specific exclusion of V not mentioning Nero, though Griffon does bring up how he went for Urizen while missing an arm at the start of 5, if you caught that) in a more detailed "History of DMC" -style chapter for expository sake in later chapters, but for now all that matters is that in this fic, Dante and Vergil are the stuff of legends - and missing in action when the world's about to go to hell again. And with V walking around, it's not hard to figure out that Vergil's up to something. Dante's absence is a key point in this world's story, and something I'll expand on later. So for now, just sit back, take back all that V class and wait for the plot that will lead up to a very familiar return.


End file.
